Pipi was not impressed by this story. He disliked being
treated like a little dumb kid. He decided to explore the outhouse at first
opportunity.

A week later granduncle had to go out to a court of law on
some business. He was not expected back till late evening. Pipi had been
waiting for this opportunity. He rushed to the outhouse. His brothers came
chasing after him. But they were all disappointed.

The outhouse was locked. They went around the structure
listlessly. Pipi spied a window and peeped in. He was shocked to see an old man
sitting on a rocking chair inside the locked outhouse.

The old man was asleep but he sensed their presence and opened
his eyes. He stared at Pipi for a few seconds without blinking his eyes. Then
he smiled.

‘Why don’t you all come in? I haven’t talked to kids for a
long time. Let’s have some fun; come in,’ said the old man.

‘The door is locked,’ Pipi almost shouted

‘I know. Your granduncle keeps me locked in, never forgets to
lock the door. But you can get the key; I know where he keeps it. It’s in the upper
drawer of his study table. Go and get it, but do hurry.’

Pipi kept thinking for few seconds, ‘Who is this old man? Why
is he being held here?’

It was a mystery that he wanted to unravel. He was also
beginning to dislike his granduncle. It was an opportunity to settle the score
with him. He ran and found the key. He was about to open the lock when one of
his brothers said, ‘Don’t; the old man is a ghost. He would eat us.’

‘Get lost if you are scared,’ Pipi thundered at his brother.
He quickly opened the door and entered the outhouse. His brothers followed him,
unwillingly and apprehensively. They searched every nook and corner of the
outhouse but surprisingly there was no one in there. There was nothing in it
except an old rocking chair.

‘Where is the old man? Where has he vanished?’ muttered Pipi.

‘He was sitting on that chair,’ said one kid brother pointing
towards the rocking chair.

‘Look at this chair; no one seems to have sat on it for years,’
said other kid brother.

‘Let’s leave…..now,’ ordered Pipi. He was suddenly scared although
he was unwilling to show his feelings to his brothers.

To their horror they found the door bolted from outside. Pipi
panicked. He rushed to the window and opened it.

He was about to shout for help when he saw his granduncle running
towards the outhouse; granduncle’s face was contorted in fear.

Followers

About Me

i weaved my first story when i was thirteen and to my surprise it fascinated my kid brothers, but i actually started writing in 1989 and since then about 100 stories have been published in nandan and champak, now i am trying to write poems for kids of all ages and occasionally some serious and non serious fiction for everyone